Up to now, a technique is known in which an image forming apparatus most suitable for electric power saving is selected from a group of a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected on a network.
Each of the image forming apparatuses selectively switches between a normal mode and a power saving output mode. Each image forming apparatus displays a power consumption when the normal mode is selected and a power consumption when the power saving output mode is selected.
Each image forming apparatus communicates power consumption information with other image forming apparatuses. An image forming apparatus operated by a user selects an image forming apparatus most suitable for electric power saving, and displays the selected apparatus for the user.
When the number of times when the normal mode is selected is larger than the number of times when a power saving mode is selected, there arises such a drawback that a power saving advantage is deteriorated.